Wall systems defined by upright space-dividing panels are widely utilized in offices and the like to divide large open areas into smaller workspaces. Such panels, which may be of floor-to-ceiling height or of lesser height, are typically prefabricated and employ a rigid frame to which side cover pads are attached for enclosing the frame and defining the desired aesthetics of the finished wall panel. The cover pads, which may extend the full vertical height of the frame, or which may be a plurality of smaller pads which attach to the frame, typically include a sheet-like or plate-like substrate which is exteriorly covered by a thin flexible covering sheet to provide desired functionality with respect to aesthetics, acoustics and the like. Such covering sheet frequently constitutes a thin flexible fabric, vinyl or foil-like material which is secured to the pad substrate so that the cover sheet defines the exposed or front side surface of the assembled wall panel. While constructions of this type are conventionally utilized, the construction of such panels and specifically the application of a thin flexible covering sheet to the pad substrate has long been an undesirably inefficient and costly process requiring a high degree of manual labor and manipulation in order to ensure that the flexible covering sheet is properly attached to its underlying substrate in a manner which ensures proper alignment of the covering sheet while at the same time avoiding undesired looseness, puckering or wrinkling.
In the construction of upholstered pads or panels, as aforesaid, the substrate in one conventional construction is defined by a thin panel-like core pad which for example may be defined by a compressed mat of fiberglass, either with or without a supporting backer, and in another known construction the core pad may be defined by a rigid plate-like member constructed of a material such as fiberboard or plasterboard. Further, the core pad is typically provided with a rigid ring-shaped rectangular frame fixed to and surrounding the core pad, which frame extends along the peripheral edges of the pad and typically wraps around the backface adjacent the edges. The frame is typically contoured to accommodate clips or fasteners which mount the pad to a wall panel frame. The flexible covering sheet which extends across the front face of the pad is typically manually wrapped around the side edges of the pad and frame (i.e. the substrate) to permit adhesive securement of covering sheet edge portions (i.e. flaps) to the side edges and rear face of the substrate. As noted above, this is a time consuming and hence costly manual assembly process.
In an effort to improve on the manually intensive labor associated with cover pads provided with flexible covering sheets as discussed above, the Assignee hereof has developed and is utilizing an apparatus which employs opposed side rollers for effecting folding and pressing of adhesive-coated edge flaps of the covering sheet around opposite lengthwise-extending edges of the pad or panel. While this apparatus, as disclosed in co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 11/369,171, has been successfully adopted for folding and securing edge flaps of a covering sheet to the back sides and/or edges of panels and pads, nevertheless this apparatus possesses structural and operational characteristics which are not optimally suited for all panel or pad constructions. More specifically, in some panel constructions, the rigid edge frame members defining the panel frame have fasteners or ribs which protrude outwardly from the rear surface thereof and positioned in close but inwardly spaced relation from the edge surface of the panel. Wrapping an edge flap around the edge surface and onto the back surface, and then effecting proper adhesive securement thereof to the back surface, is difficult since the pressing rollers of the above-described apparatus are incapable of effecting pressing of the edges of the cover sheet flaps into corners adjacent the protruding fasteners or ribs. In addition, the rollers associated with the above-described apparatus typically simultaneously cooperate with opposed edges to effect holding of the panel during the pressing of the opposite edge flaps, particularly since the movement of the rollers upwardly and then over onto the back face prevents or greatly restricts proper clamping of the panel since engaging top clamps to the edge frame members is effectively prohibited due to the clearance space required by the pressing rollers. This known apparatus, as described above, hence possesses operational characteristics which are either not suited or inconvenient for use with certain panel constructions, particularly those employing a rearwardly protruding rib or fastener associated with the back surface of the frame and spaced inwardly a relatively small distance from the adjacent edge surface.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus, and related process, which facilitates and at least partially automates the wrapping and securing of flexible edge flaps of a covering sheet to a pad or panel, and which specifically enables such wrapping and securing to be carried out with pads or panels having protrusions associated with the back side of the frame while enabling the edge flap to be properly wrapped and adhesively secured both to the side edge surface and the back surface up to a point closely adjacent the rearward protrusion, thereby overcoming deficiencies and disadvantages associated with the apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned '369 application.
In the apparatus of the present invention, there is provided a table-like support adapted to support a panel-shaped substrate thereon. The substrate is already partially assembled in that a flexible covering sheet has already been positioned over and secured to the front side or front face of the substrate, and the covering sheet has edge flaps which are cantilevered outwardly beyond each of the edge faces of the substrate. The substrate also typically has edge frame members which are secured to the substrate core and wrap around the edge faces and a part of the back face, with the back face of the frame member having a rib or fastener protruding outwardly at a location close to but spaced inwardly a small distance from the respective edge face. A positioning structure is disposed above the table, specifically for cooperation with one corner thereof, and is movable into a lowered position wherein positioning elements such as pins are disposed for contacting two sides, namely first and second perpendicularly-oriented edge faces of the substrate when it is positioned on the table with the covering sheet facing downwardly. The positioning elements are positioned at an elevation slightly above the elevation of the table top surface so that the edge flaps can protrude outwardly beneath the positioning elements. When the substrate is positioned in contact with the positioning elements so as to be properly oriented on the support table, in which position edges of the substrate slightly overhang the respective edges of the table, a clamping system disposed above the table is activated so that clamps move downwardly and engage the frame along the first and second sides of the substrate to hold it in stationary engagement with the table. The positioning elements are then retracted upwardly into their home or storage position. A movable carrier positioned adjacent the first side of the table is then moved from a home position adjacent one end of said first side to a displaced position adjacent the other end of said first side, and is then moved back to its home position. During this movement a spray assembly mounted on the carrier is activated to discharge a desired coating of adhesive onto the protruding edge flap as well as the adjacent edge and back surfaces of the edge frame member as the spray system moves lengthwise therealong. When the carrier returns to its home position, a wiping assembly which is positioned adjacent and extends lengthwise along the first edge, is moved upwardly so that a first generally horizontally protruding wiping blade, which is oriented to protrude toward the side edge of the table and hence the edge face of the substrate, engages the flap and wipes it upwardly into contact with the edge face. After the wiping assembly moves the first wiping blade upwardly beyond the edge flap, which now protrudes upwardly beyond the respective edge face of the substrate, the wiping assembly is then moved generally horizontally inwardly so that a second wiping blade, which protrudes generally vertically downwardly, contacts the protruding upper portion of the edge flap and wipes it downwardly into engagement with the back surface of the frame member. The configuration of the second blade and its inward movement enables the edge flap to be wiped securely into contact with the back surface to a point closely adjacent the upwardly protruding rib. The wiping assembly is then retracted outwardly and lowered downwardly back into its home position. The movable carrier is then again moved back and forth along the first edge of the table, and a roller assembly mounted thereon is activated by being extended inwardly so that rollers thereof engage both the edge and back surfaces of the panel to effect pressing of the edge flap into secure contacting engagement with the respective frame surfaces.
In the improved apparatus, as aforesaid, there is preferably additionally provided substantially identical carrier and wiping structures associated with the second edge of the table, which structures are sequentially activated in the same manner as the structures associated with the first edge so as to permit wrapping and securing of the edge flap associated with the second edge of the substrate. The second edge wrapping process is normally initiated after or just shortly prior to completion of the wrapping process associated with the first edge. After the first and second edges have both been wrapped and adhesively secured to the respective frame members, then the clamping system is deactivated in that the clamps are retracted upwardly to release the substrate. The substrate on which two edges have already been wrapped can either be removed and replaced by a further substrate, or in the alternative the substrate can be rotated horizontally 180 degrees so as to permit wrapping and securing of the remaining two edge flaps.
In the apparatus as aforesaid, the wiping blades are preferably plate-like members constructed of an elastomeric or rubber-like material having limited flexibility, with the protruding or cantilevered outer tip edge preferably being slightly rounded and having limited elastic deflectability so as to be capable of engaging the edge flap and pushing it into snug contacting and hence adhesive engagement with the underlying frame surface, while at the same time avoiding undesired frictional contact and possibly damaging surface contact with the covering sheet. The wiping blade, particularly when oriented generally vertically and moved horizontally so as to engage the flap for pressed engagement against the upward-facing back face, enables the edge part of the flap to be pressed snugly downwardly into contact with the back face at a location closely adjacent a corner defined with the upwardly protruding rib, thereby maximizing the contact area between the edge flap and the back surface, and greatly minimizing the possibility of the edge portion of the edge flap being free and unsecured.
This invention also relates to a process for securing the edge flaps to the substrate, specifically a process corresponding generally to the operations carried out by the apparatus as briefly discussed above, and as described in greater detail hereinafter.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly”, and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions towards and away from the geometric center and of the apparatus or panel, and designated parts thereof. The word “front” will refer to the exterior side of the panel or substrate which faces outwardly when the panel is mounted on its frame, and the word “rear” will refer to the opposite side of the panel or substrate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.